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JaNa Craig<\/a> is letting fans see a different side of herself \u2014 one that goes beyond villa drama and into real-life priorities like financial stability.<\/p>\n After appearing on Love Island USA<\/em> Season 6<\/a> and Destination X<\/em>, Craig is now fronting Credit One Bank\u2019s new dating-inspired series, You\u2019re the Credit One for Me<\/em><\/a>, which blends romance with financial literacy. For Craig, the project offers a chance to spotlight something she says has always mattered to her, even if viewers haven\u2019t always seen it.<\/p>\n Craig said reality TV has allowed audiences to see multiple sides of her personality \u2014 but not necessarily her approach to money.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, obviously, the past reality TV shows I\u2019ve done, you get to see a lot of different versions of me, different parts of me that I don\u2019t get to share often. With Credit One Bank\u2019s You\u2019re the Credit One for Me<\/em>, you get to see a part of me that I prioritize that people don\u2019t know and it\u2019s financial stability and just managing your financials in general,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s really exciting that people get to see another part of me that I don\u2019t share too often because these are things that you usually have either private conversations with your partner, or some people are too shy to admit that they don\u2019t stay on top of with their finances.\u201d<\/p>\n The series leans into those often-private conversations, pairing dating scenarios with practical tips about credit and financial responsibility.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re able to do a splash of reality with a splash of education that people need to know, and it\u2019s in a fun, exciting way. I cannot wait for you guys to see these episodes. They\u2019re so cute,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it\u2019s a mix of passion and love and learning about how to manage your credit and fun facts, like using less than 30% of your usage, making sure that your bills are on autopay because it could potentially affect your credit report for up to seven years.\u201d<\/p>\n Craig said her perspective on money in relationships has evolved over time \u2014 especially as she\u2019s gained more knowledge and experience.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, more so back in the day. I mean, I would ask people what do they do for a living? What do your investments look like and whatnot? Because I\u2019ve been investing since I was 18,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n As her own financial responsibilities have grown, so has the importance she places on a partner\u2019s habits.<\/p>\n \u201cSo now I\u2019m in a stage where obviously I\u2019ve been blessed with so many opportunities back in the day that I have to manage my finances very wisely, very carefully, and it\u2019s also very attractive when I see someone else doing the same,\u201d she said. \u201cHow they run their credit cards, how they run their debit cards, how do they prioritize what to invest, how do they prioritize how to pay their bills and whatnot. So now, it\u2019s one of my main focuses. It\u2019s always been a focus, but now it\u2019s\u2026 used to be top 10, now it\u2019s top three, if that makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n While Craig admits she\u2019s more direct than most, she understands that financial conversations can feel taboo early in dating.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, I\u2019m not shy. I\u2019ll bring that up on the first conversation. No problem,\u201d she said. \u201cSo it\u2019d be like, \u2018What\u2019s your credit score?\u2019 I ask all the time. Now, other people don\u2019t, and I highly advise you maybe not to do it the way I do it because I\u2019m a very straight-up person.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, she suggests easing into the topic by observing behaviors and building comfort first \u2014 something the series itself demonstrates.<\/p>\n \u201cWe show different ways to approach the conversation lightheartedly when you\u2019re starting to date and whatnot,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, that\u2019s the cute, lighthearted part. And maybe just monitoring how they carry themselves. If you\u2019re on a date, which card are they using? Make sure they leave a good tip. How do they carry themselves in conversation, and then slowly, gradually bring it up. But once you watch the episodes, you\u2019ll see how I brought it up in a couple conversations. It was really nice and light, nothing too crazy, but it\u2019s also like I\u2019m educating people and they were educating me. So, it was really nice.\u201d<\/p>\n After multiple reality TV appearances, Craig said she initially thought she was done with the format \u2014 until the right opportunity came along.<\/p>\n \u201cAt first, I told myself no more reality TV, I\u2019m done,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut working with Credit One Bank, they created such a fun idea, a fun, exciting project, and I don\u2019t play when it comes to financials. So, this is the perfect opportunity for you to educate others, but in a lighthearted way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd as you know, I\u2019m single. So they\u2019re like, \u2018You can make a fun dating reality show.\u2019 And I\u2019m like, \u2018Oh my gosh, I loved it.\u2019 I couldn\u2019t say no.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead, Craig is interested in expanding into new areas, including scripted work.<\/p>\n \u201cI think hopping into the scripted world would be very fun and exciting,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve done a cute little project not too long ago that\u2019s coming out sometime this year. It was scripted. It was really fun.\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time, she\u2019s building a foundation beyond entertainment through business and investment ventures.<\/p>\n \u201cRight now, I think just focusing on myself, and I love real estate and I love building. I definitely don\u2019t want to keep all my eggs in one basket, so I\u2019ve been doing a lot of investment deals and that\u2019s really exciting,\u201d she said. \u201cQuiet projects that people don\u2019t need to know about, those are very exciting to me.\u201d<\/p>\n For Craig, the goal is simple: keep evolving.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I were to hop back in, I\u2019d probably do scripted now because I\u2019ve done the unscripted. It\u2019s been fun. It\u2019s been great. It was quite the rollercoaster. Forever grateful, but now I think I need to hop into something new and step into different categories of my life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI just want to try everything in life so that when I\u2019m 80, I can look back and be proud more than regretful or disappointed. So, we\u2019re going to try something new.\u201d<\/p>\n You\u2019re the Credit One for Me<\/em> officially premiered on March 19.<\/p>\n The post JaNa Craig Talks New Reality Dating Parody Series, Teases Upcoming \u2018Quiet\u2019 Projects<\/a> appeared first on Blavity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nJaNa Craig on bringing financial conversations into reality TV<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why finances are now a \u2018top three\u2019 priority in dating<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How to talk about money without making it awkward<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What\u2019s next for JaNa Craig after reality TV<\/strong><\/h2>\n